Miller Homes Division 3 North
27/02/10

Sequence of pictures by Tony North leading to a try by Paul Shepherd

John Cowper offloading

Paul Shepherd taking from John Cowper and going away

Shepherd touching down
The Vikings took on the visitors from Wigan in an eagerly awaited return fixture following a feisty contest a fortnight ago. With the skipper’s pre-match mantra of discipline still ringing in the Vales player’s ears, it was they who started in determined fashion. Excellent work from Melville to offload in the tackle, presented winger Shepherd with the first score.

Miller Distributing ball
The two packs then slugged it out for supremacy on a heavy pitch, front row men Jackson, Bolsover and Ferguson working tirelessly at the coalface. With the Viking forwards now gaining the upper hand at the breakdown, stand off Miller worked the phases and centre Cowper battered away at the Wigan defence, eventually releasing McAllister to stretch over in the corner.

Wigan about to take the tackle from Cowper
More continuity from backs and forwards alike gave Shepherd another run in; Melville added the extras to give the Vikings a 17-point half time lead.
At the interval Skipper McAllister was able to make full use of the squad at his disposal to freshen thing up. The changes had an immediate impact, the ball was moved wide to find replacement winger Jones in space to win the footrace to the line.
With the Wigan pack visibly tiring, the Vikings again spread the ball allowing Jones to dance through the cover defence for his second try, putting the home side out of reach.
The scoring wasn’t finished Wigan hit back with a well worked try of their own, before Jones found the looping McAllister to finish in the corner. Next week the Vikings face a tough trip away at Clitheroe.

Foxcroft taking good ball in the line
Bolsover, Ferguson, Jackson; Smith, Foxcroft; Ancliffe, Pennington, Griffiths; Tennant, Miller; McAllister, Cowper, Birchall, Shepherd; Melville.
Replacements: – Hill, L Jackson, Symonds, Houghton, Jones


















